THE MAFIA'S WEAKNESS

"Aria Carlton, why did you call the police?" Jasper Smith pushed the door open, looking enraged. I had just lit candles for Dad, and there were still unburnt candles placed on the floor.

He barged in angrily, looking arrogant. He was probably here to pick a bone with me about Nicole Simmons.

However, his expression softened when he saw the candles and the smoke that drifted up to the ceiling.

"Today is the seventh day since Nicole's child passed away. Although you made a mistake, I can see that you're being thoughtful now.

"Sign this memorandum of understanding and the adoption agreement. Let Nicole have the child, and I won't hold it against you."

As he said that, Jasper handed me two documents, looking self-righteous. There was a look of impatience in his eyes.

The flames of the candles seemed to burn brighter as if my father's spirit had suddenly arrived.

"Stop trying to put on an act. You're even willing to burn candles to remember Nicole's child, after all. Hurry up and sign it." He flung the documents at me, and they drifted gently down before me.

I suddenly felt like laughing. My husband remembered that it had been seven days since the death of his first love's child, but he did not remember the death anniversary of his own father-in-law, who had gone to jail in his stead and had passed away there from an illness.

After tossing the agreement at me, Jasper began walking back and forth in the smoke-filled room. He was packing up everything I had prepared for the baby.

"I'll take these. Nicole needs them. When you have another baby, we'll just buy some more."

As I watched Jasper bustling around, I suddenly thought of how I had been unable to get through to him on his phone on the day I gave birth. Tears spilled out of my eyes and fell into the dancing flames.

Obstructed labor required the signature of a family member. Since I had been unable to find Jasper, I had had to sign the notice of critical condition myself, my hand trembling.

What had he been doing at that moment? He had been keeping his first love company because she had given birth to a stillborn child.

He had felt so sorry for her that the only thing he wanted to do was to stay glued by her side.

I had been just about to give birth and had only called him a couple of times to beg him to take me to the hospital.

He thought I was annoying and accused me of not being understanding or compassionate. I was disrupting him in taking care of Nicole, so he blocked me.

I risked my life to give birth to my baby, and I was in the intensive care unit for several hours before I woke up. The child who should have been by my side was in Nicole's arms instead.

Jasper had his arm around Nicole, who was carrying the baby. They had been smiling so sweetly, like a happy family of three.

What did that make me?

When I thought about that, I silently put down the candle I was holding. I looked at the man whom I had loved for three years, and who had once sworn grand oaths of love to me. He had become a completely different man because that woman came back.

I said calmly, "Jasper, let's get divorced."